Nvidia’s new reference cooler official – dual fans with different functions

Nvidia’s reference card with Founder’s Edition stamp was delivered for many generations with a so-called blowercooler, which by means of a single radial fan transports air over a heat sink to dump the heat outside the chassis. Similarities with hair dryers due to high noise levels have long been a common occurrence in enthusiast circles, but in the autumn of 2018, Nvidia chose to change tracks for its own air coolers.

► Nvidia unveils Ampere – Geforce RTX 3090, RTX 3080 and RTX 3070

The Turing architecture reference card meant a transition to dual axial fans and an open radiator solution, similar to the solutions that have long been common in third-party models. Now Nvidia is unveiling the next round of graphics cards in the form of the Ampere-based Geforce RTX 3000 series, where a new cooler is once again adopted by Founder’s Edition.

With the results in hand, it is clear that the rumors and images that circulated during the summer are true, and the graphics cards come with an unusual air cooler with double fans oriented on both sides of the card. The trio that starts the Ampere family – Geforce RTX 3090, RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 – comes with slightly different bottlings of the radiator, which basically have the same design.

The circuit board has shrunk and taken a step from ordinary and rectangular stucco, and above the graphics circuit and memories houses one of the two axial fans. This presses air against the circuit board and has a function reminiscent of blowerthe coolers, as the hot air ends up outside the chassis.

Judging from the pictures, the heat sink is divided into two parts and the parts are connected with four solid heat pipes. The part that is placed next to the circuit board sucks air through the heat sink and sends it to the roof of the chassis. In terms of appearance, Nvidia consistently invests in black for fans and heat sinks, while silver-shiny metal inserts surround the constructions.

The radiator for the Geforce RTX 3070 also shares the same look as the more powerful big siblings, but here both fans are located on the same side. However, the reflection in the background suggests that the rear fan still has the ability to send air through the flange without obstruction. The card occupies two expansion slots and the same applies to the RTX 3080. For both models, the new 12-pin connector for power is also visible.

With the Geforce RTX 3090, the restrictions on thickness are forced to fold from now on, where the IO plate that is glimpsed behind the solid cooler solution is adapted for three expansion locations. During the presentation, Nvidia believes that the flagship card’s coolers will be able to keep the temperatures 30 degrees lower than those for the Titan RTX, which has the same two-fan solution as the rest of the Turing family.

Slightly more diffuse are the company’s promises for the radiator for the Geforce RTX 3080, where an air flow up to 55 percent higher, three times quieter and 30 percent more efficient is listed. This is in comparison with the Turing family, but concrete information about temperatures and sound level thus shines with its absence. It thus remains to be seen how well the new coolers perform.

What do you think about the performance of the new coolers and what do you think about the look? Share in the comment thread!